JP4992245B2 - Wireless communication device system and communication device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic shelf label system, a communication device, and an electronic shelf label, and in particular, includes an electronic shelf label, and a communication device that communicates with the electronic shelf label and has management information for managing the electronic shelf label. The present invention relates to an electronic shelf label system, a communication device, and an electronic shelf label.

  The electronic shelf label system displays the electronic shelf label from the host computer by registering the electronic shelf label with rewritable display information in the host computer, installing it on the product shelf, and accessing the electronic shelf label through the access point from the host computer. This is a system capable of rewriting information (see Patent Documents 1 to 5).

  In such an electronic shelf label system, ID information preset in the electronic shelf label is registered in the host computer using a device called an initializer before the electronic shelf label is installed on the commodity shelf. The host computer accesses the electronic shelf label from the access point based on the ID information to be set, and sets information displayed on the electronic shelf label.

Conventionally, when the electronic shelf label is removed, the electronic shelf label information is similarly deleted by reading the electronic shelf label information by the initializer and deleting the corresponding electronic shelf label ID information from the host computer. It was.
JP 2002-304673 A JP 2005-99888 A JP 2002-109177 A JP 2004-265196 A JP-A-9-138892

  In the conventional electronic shelf label system, when the electronic shelf label management database disappears due to a power failure or the like, the electronic shelf label information needs to be read again by the initializer and registered in the host computer.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide an electronic shelf label system, a communication device, and an electronic shelf label that can automatically reconstruct management information for managing electronic shelf labels. To do.

The present invention includes a wireless communication device (113), the wireless communication device (113) and the radio communication device and a communication apparatus having a management information for managing the wireless communication device (113) (111, 112) performs communication a system, a communication device (111, 112) calls in groups the wireless communication device (113) by designating a portion of the ID assigned to the wireless communication device (113), the wireless communication device (113) Responds to the communication device (111, 112) when some IDs specified by the communication device (111, 112) match, and the communication device (111, 112) responds to the response from the wireless communication device (113). Accordingly, the management information for managing the wireless communication device (113) is reconstructed.

The wireless communication device (113) is characterized in that the response timing is controlled so that the response becomes non-contention with respect to a call in a group unit.

In addition, the present invention is a communication device that communicates with the wireless communication device (113) and has management information for managing the wireless communication device (113), and a communication unit (144) that communicates with the wireless communication device (113). and), and the management database for managing management information for managing the wireless communication device (113) (121,147), the wireless communication device by specifying a part of the ID assigned to the wireless communication device (113) (113 ) In units of groups, and a processing unit (142) that reconstructs the management database (121, 147) in response to a response from the wireless communication device (113).

A wireless communication device (113) capable of communicating information with the communication device (111, 112), a communication unit (151) communicating with the communication device (111, 112), and the communication device (111, 112). And a processing unit (152) that responds to the communication device (111, 112) when a part of the IDs specified by (1) matches.

  The processing unit (152) is characterized in that the response timing is set so as to be non-competing with respect to the call in group units.

  In addition, the said reference code is a reference to the last, and description of a claim is not limited by this.

  According to the present invention, by specifying a part of the ID assigned to the electronic shelf label by the communication device, the electronic shelf label is called in a group unit, and a part of the ID specified by the communication device from the electronic shelf label matches. The management information that automatically manages the electronic shelf label can be reconstructed by making a response to the communication device and rebuilding the management information that manages the electronic shelf label according to the response from the electronic shelf label in the communication device. Therefore, the work efficiency can be improved.

〔System configuration〕
FIG. 1 shows a system configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

  The electronic shelf label system 100 according to the present embodiment includes a management device 111, a relay device 112, and an electronic shelf label 113. The electronic shelf label system 100 includes an electronic shelf label 113 and a relay device 112 that relays the management device 111 that manages the electronic shelf label 113, and is a system that manages the electronic shelf label 113 installed on the product shelf. is there.

[Management device 111]
FIG. 2 shows a block configuration diagram of the management apparatus 111.

  For example, the management apparatus 111 includes a computer system, and includes a management database 121, a processing unit 122, a communication control unit 123, an input device 124, a display device 125, and a storage device 126.

  Information regarding the electronic shelf label 113 is registered in the management database 121.

  The processing unit 122 includes a CPU and the like, and executes processing for managing the electronic shelf label 113 based on a program installed in advance in the storage device 126.

  The communication unit 123 is connected to the relay device 112 via a network such as a LAN, a WAN, or a dedicated line, and is a device for communicating with the relay device 112.

  The input device 124 includes a mouse, a keyboard, and the like, and is used for inputting various commands and data.

  The display device 125 includes an LCD, a CRT, and the like, and displays the management database 121.

  The storage device 126 is composed of a hard disk drive or the like, and a program executed by the processing unit 122 is installed.

  FIG. 3 shows a data configuration diagram of the management database 121.

  The management database 121 includes electronic shelf label information 131 and setting information 132.

  The electronic shelf label information 131 is information for identifying and managing the electronic shelf label 113, and includes, for example, a shelf label ID, a product code, and the like.

  The setting information 132 includes information to be displayed on the electronic shelf label 113 such as a product name and a price, and is information that can be set by the management apparatus 111.

  FIG. 4 shows a data configuration diagram of the electronic shelf label information 131.

  The electronic shelf label information 131 includes UID, SID, GTIN, APID, MID (Model ID), VID (Version ID), battery voltage, communication count, communication failure count, communication retry count, continuous failure count, final communication time, and final communication status. Etc.

  The UID is a unique ID assigned to the shelf label at the time of manufacture. The SID is an ID used for communication assigned to the shelf label by the management apparatus 111, and is composed of, for example, 18-bit data.

  GTIN is a product code (Global Trade Item Number). The APID is an ID for identifying the relay device 112 (AP: Access Point).

  MID is an ID indicating the model of the electronic shelf label 113. VID is an ID indicating the version of the electronic shelf label 113 FW. The battery voltage is information indicating the voltage of the battery built in the electronic shelf label 113.

  The communication count is information indicating the communication count between the electronic shelf label 113 and the relay device 112. The communication failure frequency is information indicating the communication failure frequency between the electronic shelf label 113 and the relay device 112.

  The communication retry count is information indicating the communication retry count between the electronic shelf label 113 and the relay device 112. The number of continuous failures is information indicating the number of continuous communication failures between the electronic shelf label 113 and the relay device 112.

  The last communication time is information indicating the time when the electronic shelf label 113 and the relay device 112 last communicated. The final communication state is information indicating a state when the electronic shelf label 113 and the relay device 112 communicate last.

  The management device 111 manages the electronic shelf label 113 based on the electronic shelf label information 131 described above.

[Relay device 112]
FIG. 5 shows a block configuration diagram of the relay device 112.

  The relay device 112 includes a communication unit 141, a processing unit 142, a storage unit 143, a wireless communication unit 144, a power supply circuit 145, and a battery 146.

  The communication unit 141 is connected to the management device 111 via a network such as a LAN, a WAN, or a dedicated line, and is a device for communicating with the management device 111.

  The processing unit 142 is configured by a microcomputer or the like, and executes processing for relaying communication between the management device 111 and the electronic shelf label 113 based on a program installed in the storage device 143.

  The storage unit 143 includes, for example, a rewritable nonvolatile memory such as an EEPROM, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and stores electronic shelf label information 131 within a communicable range in addition to the communication control program.

  The wireless communication unit 144 is a device for performing wireless communication with the electronic shelf label 113.

  The power supply circuit 145 is connected to an AC power supply such as a commercial power supply from the outside, converts the connected AC power supply to a DC voltage, and supplies the drive voltage to the communication unit 141, the processing unit 142, the storage device 143, and the wireless communication unit 144. Supply.

  The battery 146 is a rechargeable storage means such as a Ni-Cd battery, a lithium ion battery, or an electric double layer capacitor. The battery 146 is charged by the DC voltage generated by the power supply circuit 145, and the termination program is executed when the AC power supply is cut off. In order to be able to execute, a power for driving the communication unit 141, the processing unit 142, the storage device 143, and the wireless communication unit 144 is supplied for a certain period of time.

[Electronic shelf label 113]
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the electronic shelf label 113.

  The electronic shelf label 113 includes a wireless communication unit 151, a processing unit 152, a storage unit 153, a display device 154, and a battery 155.

  The wireless communication unit 151 is a device that performs wireless communication with the relay device 112.

  The processing unit 152 is configured by a CPU or the like, and performs communication control with the relay device 153 and display control of the display device 154 based on a program stored in the storage unit 153.

  The storage unit 153 is composed of a rewritable nonvolatile storage device such as an EEPROM, for example, and a program to be executed by the processing unit 152 is installed, and a shelf label ID and a product code are stored therein. . A part of the shelf label ID and the product code are registered in advance, and can be changed by the relay device 112.

  The display device 154 includes an LCD, an EL panel, electronic paper, and the like, and displays a product name, a product code, a price, and the like according to an instruction from the processing unit 152.

  The battery 155 is a small battery and supplies driving power for the wireless communication unit 151, the processing unit 152, the storage unit 153, and the display device 154.

[Operation]
[Rebuild process]
Next, the management data reconstruction processing operation of the electronic shelf label system 100 of the present embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 7 shows an operation explanatory diagram of the management database restructuring process by the electronic shelf label system 100.

  First, in step S1-1, a group call is transmitted from the relay device 112.

  When the electronic shelf label 113 receives the group call from the relay device 112, the electronic shelf label 113 determines whether or not the group SID (GSID) included in the group call matches the group SID of the own device. The electronic shelf label information of the own device stored in 153 is read, and the electronic shelf label information read in step S1-2 is transmitted to the relay device 112. Note that the electronic shelf label information stored in the storage unit 153 of the electronic shelf label 113 includes substantially the same information as the electronic shelf label information 131 shown in FIG.

  At this time, the electronic shelf label 113 returns a response to the relay device 112 so as not to compete with the responses of other electronic shelf labels 113 in the same group.

  When receiving the response from the electronic shelf label 113, the relay device 112 registers the response in the management database 147 based on the electronic shelf label information included in the response.

  Next, the rebuilding process of the relay device 112, the electronic shelf label 113, and the management device 111 will be described.

  First, the management database reconstruction process of the relay device 112 will be described.

  FIG. 8 shows a process flowchart of the management database reconstruction process of the relay apparatus 112.

  When AC power is turned on in step S2-1, the processing unit 142 of the relay device 112 acquires the SID previously assigned in step S2-2.

  FIG. 9 shows the data structure of the SID.

  The SID is 18-bit data, and the upper 12 bits are a group SID, which is information for identifying a group.

  The processing unit 142 creates group call information using the GSID of the upper 12 bits of the SID acquired in step S2-3, and transmits the group call information created in step S2-4.

  When receiving a response from the electronic shelf label 113 in step S2-5, the processing unit 142 acquires electronic shelf label information from the response received in step S2-6, and registers it in the management database 147 in step S2-7.

  The processing unit 142 performs the operations in steps S2-3 to S2-7 for all groups. The management database 147 is reconstructed by receiving the electronic shelf label information from the electronic shelf labels 113 of all groups.

  When the group 142 has been called for all the groups corresponding to the previous SID in step S2-8, the processing unit 142 determines that the management database 147 of the relay device 112 and the management database 121 of the management device 111 are in step S2-9. The electronic shelf label information registered in the management database 147 is transmitted to the management device 111 so as to match.

  Next, the management database reconstruction process of the electronic shelf label 113 will be described.

  FIG. 10 shows a process flowchart of the management database reconstruction process of the electronic shelf label 113.

  When receiving the group call in step S3-1, the processing unit 152 of the electronic shelf label 113 acquires the GSID from the group call in step S3-2, and the upper 12 bits of the GSID acquired in step S3-3 and the own device. It is determined whether the upper 12 bits of the GSID stored in the storage unit 153 match.

  If the upper 12 bits of the GSID match at step S3-3, the processing unit 152 reads the lower 6 bits of the GSID at step S3-4, and responds according to the information of the lower 6 bits read at step S3-5. To get.

  When the response timing comes in step S3-6, the processing unit 152 responds to the relay device 112 with the electronic shelf label information stored in the storage unit 153 in step S3-7.

  If the GSID does not match in step S3-3, the process 152 ends as it is.

  FIG. 11 shows a process flowchart of the management database reconstruction process of the management apparatus 111.

  When the processing unit 122 of the management apparatus 111 receives the electronic shelf label information from the relay apparatus 112 in step S4-1, it registers in the management database 121 in step S4-2, and completes registration in the relay apparatus 112 in step S4-3. Notice.

  FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining data slots of the electronic shelf label system 100.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the upper 12 bits of the 18-bit SID represents the GSID. When calling by GSID, 64 electronic shelf labels 113 whose upper 12 bits of SID are equal to GSID return a reply.

  Since the slot for returning a reply is determined by the lower 6 bits of the SID, the contention access is performed.

  As shown in FIG. 12, a reply to the GSID call is returned in 64 subslots in the first half. When the value of the lower 6 bits of the SID is from 0 to 32, it is returned in the first half from 0 to 31 sub-data slots, respectively, and when the lower 6 bits of the SID is from 32 to 63, the second half of 0 to 31 Reply in data slot.

  For example, a maximum of 64 shelf labels respond to return information (price information, etc.) within a certain period (250 milliseconds). Since the response is non-contention access, no communication collision occurs.

  The response period (250 milliseconds) is divided into 64 slots, and the GSID called electronic shelf label responds at the slot that matches the numerical value of the lower 6 bits of the GSID.

  For this reason, in order to call up all the shelf labels, the worst case is 4096 times. The execution time of all SID calls is about 1024 seconds (about 17 minutes).

  The number of calls will be 2 ^ 18. Normally, the number of shelf labels in the store is assumed to be about 1 to 100,000, and the management DB rebuilding time in that case is about 25 to 250 seconds.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the management database is lost, it can be automatically reconstructed, so that a maintenance-free management database can be realized.

  Although the present invention has been described above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, although the electronic shelf label has been described as an example in the above description, the present invention is not limited to the electronic shelf label, and can be applied to other wireless communication systems.

It is a system configuration figure of one example of the present invention. It is a block block diagram of the management apparatus 111. It is a data block diagram of the management database 121. It is a data block diagram of the electronic shelf label information 131. 3 is a block configuration diagram of a relay device 112. FIG. It is a block block diagram of the electronic shelf label. It is operation | movement explanatory drawing of the management database reconstruction process by the electronic shelf label system. 10 is a process flowchart of a management database reconstruction process of the relay device 112. It is a data block diagram of SID. It is a process flowchart of the management database reconstruction process of the electronic shelf label 113. 10 is a process flowchart of a management database reconstruction process of the management apparatus 111. It is a figure for demonstrating the data slot of the electronic shelf label system.

Explanation of symbols

100 electronic shelf label system 111 management device, 112 relay device, 113 electronic shelf label 121 management database, 122 processing unit, 123 communication unit, 124 input device 125 display device, 126 storage device 131 electronic shelf label information, 132 setting information 141 communication Unit, 142 processing unit, 143 storage unit, 144 wireless communication unit 145 power supply circuit, 146 battery 151 wireless communication unit, 152 processing unit, 153 storage unit, 154 display unit 155 battery

Claims (3)

A wireless communication device system configured to communicate with a wireless communication device and the wireless communication device , and includes a communication device having management information for managing the wireless communication device ,
The communication device, by specifying a portion of the ID assigned to the wireless communication device, call the wireless communication device in groups,
The wireless communication device responds to the communication device when some of the IDs specified by the communication device match,
The wireless communication apparatus system , wherein the communication apparatus reconstructs management information for managing the wireless communication apparatus in response to a response from the wireless communication apparatus . The wireless communication apparatus system according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication apparatus is controlled so that a response to a call in the group unit is non-competing. A communication device that communicates with a wireless communication device and the wireless communication device and has management information for managing the wireless communication device ,
A communication unit for communicating with the wireless communication device ;
A management database for managing management information for managing the wireless communication device ;
A processing unit that designates a part of the ID assigned to the wireless communication device , calls the wireless communication device in units of groups, and reconstructs the management database according to a response from the wireless communication device; A communication device.

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